2018 D-FW soccer preview: Teams, storylines and players to watch

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Highland Park defender Grace Bass (14) leaps up in the air as she celebrates with her teammate after they scored a goal against Aledo during their UIL 5A girls State Championship soccer game at Birkelbach Field on April 15, 2017 in Georgetown, Texas. (Thao Nguyen/Special Contributor

TEAMS TO WATCH

Thao Nguyen/Special Contributor

Highland Park players hoist up their state championship trophy after their win over Aledo during their UIL 5A girls State Championship soccer game at Birkelbach Field on April 15, 2017 in Georgetown, Texas. (Thao Nguyen/Special Contributor)

GIRLS

Highland Park: The defending Class 5A state champion lost only two starters from a 27-0 team and is No. 1 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com winter national rankings. Forwards Rachel Wasserman (Penn State) and Presley Echols (Texas), midfielders Sarah O'Neal (Vanderbilt) and Frances Ann Matise (South Carolina) and defender Sierra Jones (Texas Tech) have committed to play college soccer, and coach Stewart Brown said sophomore defender Megan O'Neal will be highly recruited. Wasserman was named SportsDay's All-Area Player of the Year and a third-team USA Today All-American after recording 31 goals and 26 assists as a junior. Echols scored a team-leading 35 goals as a freshman and was first-team all-state. She has returned to playing after having foot surgery and is "looking really sharp," Brown said. Highland Park has played in the state tournament three straight years and five of the last six years.

Keller: Keller reached its first state tournament last year and finished 21-3-2 after losing in overtime in the 6A semifinals to eventual champion Pflugerville Hendrickson. Despite having to replace 13 seniors, Keller is No. 6 in the national rankings.

Ursuline: The defending TAPPS Division I state champion has started 8-0 and has outscored the opposition 49-0, as goalkeeper Reagan Byers has saved all 26 shots she has faced. Ursuline, which has won 26 TAPPS state titles in the last 27 years, is ranked No. 10 nationally. Sydney Hurlburt leads the team with nine goals, Katie Gay has scored eight, and Alyssa D'Aloise has six goals.

Episcopal School of Dallas: ESD will try to win a fifth consecutive SPC championship with 11 freshmen on varsity and without Yale pledge Lauren Marks, an elite defender who is out for the season because of a torn ACL. Emma Viquez, who plays for Costa Rica's under-20 national team, is out with an ACL injury, but coach Mike Renshaw hopes she can return for the latter part of conference play and for the SPC tournament in mid-February. Jordan Aikman is the daughter of former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

BOYS

Arlington Sam Houston: The Class 6A state runner-up opens the season at No. 1 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com winter national rankings. A big reason is the return of first-team all-state forward Jose Ortiz, who scored 30 goals as a freshman and was named the Gatorade Texas Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Midfielder Nate Kopetsky and defender Mario Trevizo were also first-team all-state honorees from a 22-3-2 team that lost to Jesuit in overtime in the state championship game.

McKinney Boyd: The nation's fifth-ranked team has a new coach, as Colby Peek moved from Mesquite Poteet to Boyd. Boyd returns 10 starters from a team that was 13-1-8. Among those back are honorable mention all-state forward Tanner Binion (committed to Division I High Point University), District 6-6A co-goalkeeper of the year Chase Coy (10 shutouts) and all-district midfielder Jack Monte (committed to Division I Northeastern).

Hebron: The 6A Region I finalist will look to build on a 20-4-2 season. The nation's 15th-ranked team returns District 5-6A utility player of the year Matthew Doyle and 5-6A co-defensive player of the year Diego Hernandez. Senior forward Nick Garcia, who scored a team-best 13 goals, and junior midfielder Caleb Mayer were first-team all-district picks.

Coppell: Coppell is ranked No. 17 nationally and has 23 seniors in the program after finishing 19-3-2. SMU pledge Wyatt Priest had 17 goals and seven assists and was a first-team all-region midfielder. Coppell has a new coach, as James Balcom takes over for Chad Rakestraw, who left to coach at Flower Mound Marcus. Balcom was a Coppell assistant from 2009 to 2015 and was the head coach at Northwest Eaton the last two years. Rakestraw was Coppell's head coach for six seasons and won state titles in 2013 and 2016. Balcom thinks forward Marshall Board and defenders Jeremy Basso and Asa Robicheaux will make an impact.

Jesuit: The Class 6A state champion finished 22-3-1 last season and begins this season ranked No. 19 nationally. Senior forward Christian Lerma was the District 9-6A offensive MVP and scored the winning goal in overtime in the state championship game. Joe Banul takes over as the starting goalkeeper for Luke Ostrander, who was first-team all-state as a senior last season. Coach Charles DeLong is closing in on 600 career victories, entering the season with a record of 590-71-31.

Midfielder Kat Rogers, Prosper: The Alabama pledge had 19 goals and 16 assists as Prosper made the longest playoff run in program history by reaching the 5A Region II final. Ten players return from a 26-1-1 team, including defenders Maycie McDougal (committed to Louisiana Tech) and Lauren Lapomarda (District 14-5A newcomer of the year). Prosper starts the season ranked No. 20 in the nation.

Midfielder Sophie Smith, Grapevine:The Louisiana Tech pledge was honorable mention all-state and had 15 goals and 21 assists in leading Grapevine to the 5A Region I semifinals. Grapevine also returns forward Ashton Wright, who had 13 goals and 16 assists for a 20-4 team.

Forward Jaida Thomas, Bishop Lynch: Coach Darrin Hedges said the West Virginia pledge "might be the most dynamic soccer player I've ever coached" on the girls side. The junior is coming back from ACL surgery, and Hedges said that Thomas is scheduled to return to action Thursday when the National Elite Prep Showcase begins a three-day run at four locations in the Dallas area. Bishop Lynch started 9-2 this season without Thomas, thanks to strong play from first-team all-state selections Chase Malone, Mallory Johnson and Kaky Kuby.

BOYS

Forward Mark Alvarado, Irving Nimitz: He is one of the top scorers coming back in the Dallas area, having scored 20 goals in 17 games while helping Nimitz advance to the 6A Region I quarterfinals.

Goalkeeper Jose Bailon, Grand Prairie: The first-team all-state goalie is one of nine returning starters for a team ranked No. 23 nationally and coming off a 14-2-5 season.

Goalkeeper/forward Fidel Gutierrez, Sachse: He had 16 shutouts to help Sachse advance to the 6A Region II final. District 10-6A midfielder of the year Drew Coley also returns.

Center back Matt Mazur, Frisco Wakeland: The Kentucky pledge joins defending Class 5A state champion Wakeland for his senior year after having played for a development academy. Senior left wing Jacob Miller had eight goals and nine assists for a 22-4-1 team, and he is one of three returning starters, along with senior center back Adam Stalmach and junior center midfielder Manny Diaz DeLeon.

Midfielder Whalen Shinn, Plano West: The UC Davis pledge was a first-team all-district selection. His team starts the season ranked No. 6 nationally.